Test color laser HP Color Laserjet CP1215 and CP1515n: Layout I: Paper, Connections, Handling
In the box you find the printer, four cartriges with low yield content (750 pages for each color and Black), an installation CD with miscellaneous additional software, and a power cord. A USB cable is not included.
Both printers are nearly identical in construction, the differences are shown in a table at the bottom of this page.
Paper handling
The paper tray (picture left side) accommodates 150 sheets. The CP1515n has an additional single sheet feeder (picture right side). To insert paper we recommend to fully take out the somewhat rickety tray. This way it is easier to center the media.
CP1515n: Paper tray.
If the paper tray is empty, you find an onscreen prompt to insert paper (picture right side). After that you are supposed to push the "Go"- or "Select"-button, to continue printing. You will look for both buttons in vain, there is none. Following inherent logic ("It must be something green!") you press the "Start"-button: Printing is resumed.
Paper deposit
According to HP it can hold up to 125 media, an unexpedient solution, since the paper tray houses up to 150 media.
The tray can take up 150 sheets without problems, the paper stack becomes somewhat untidy at the end, however. If you plan a (manual) doublesided print after, you have to readjust the sheets thoroughly.
Paper jam
Paper jams are not encountered in our tests, if you insert the sheets properly. They happen, if you put in too much paper. And that occurs quite frequently.
Druckerchannel recommendation: Pull out the paper tray completely, if you want to replenish it.
To clear a paper jam you open the rear cover. That needs a lot of force, the lever deforms in a way you will think it is going to break off. But in the end the latch will open.
Connections
The CP1215 (picture left side) connects via USB, the CP1515n (picture right side) features an additional network connection.
An optional USB network adapter (Q6275A) is available for the CP1215. It´s price is approximately 60 Euros. And the CP1515n/ni can be upgraded to Wlan (Q6259A) for approximately 50 Euros. All available connections can be found in this table.
| HP Color Laserjet CP1215, CP1515n and CP1518ni (Manufacturer´s information) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| CP1215 | CP1515n | CP1518ni | |
| Connections | USB 2.0, network optional | USB 2.0, network | USB 2.0, network, Pictbridge, direct camera print |
| Cardreader | no | CF Typ 1 and 2, MMC, SD, xD, Memorystick | |
| Wlan | no | optional | |
| © Druckerchannel (DC) | |||
Handling
The two laser printers have different control panels (CP1215, picture left side), the CP1515n (picture right side) has a double-spaced display which is hard to read. You have to step back at least three feet to read what it says. That complicates handling.
In a room with ceiling lighting readability worsens even more (picture right side).
Scouring through the menu becomes a rigmarole.
Model range
As enhanced model the CP1515ni comes as "Photo-Imaging-Model". More on that in this table.
| HP Color Laserjet CP1215, CP1515n and CP1518ni (Manufacturer´s information) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| CP1215 | CP1515n | CP1518ni | |
| Price (approx.) | 180 Euros | 250 Euros | 300 Euros |
| Speed of print B/W / Color | 12 / 8 ppm | ||
| Capacity of paper tray | 150 sheets | ||
| Capacity output bin | 125 sheets | ||
| Recommended paper weights | 60 - 176 g/m² | ||
| Maximum paper weight | 220 g/m² on HP Color Laser photo paper glossy | ||
| Processor | RISC 264 MHz | Motorola 450 MHz | |
| Memory in the box/ maximum | 16 /16 MBytes | 96 / 256 MBytes | |
| Method to improve color print | Imageret 2400 | Imageret 3600 | |
| Duplex unit | no | ||
| Single sheet feed | no | yes, 1 sheet | |
| Operating systems | Windows 2000, XP, Server 2003, Vista | Windows 2000, XP, Server 2003, Vista, Mac OS | |
| Printer languages | GDI | PCL 6, PS-3-Emulation | |
| © Druckerchannel (DC) | |||
